A RARE pair of natural pearl earrings, a needlework with a ‘unique’ wooden frame and photos of disabled children enjoying rides in motor cars at stately homes in the Knutsford area are just part of a collection of intriguing items sent to go under the hammer at an auction house in the town next week.

Frank Marshall Auction House on Church Hill will feature the items as part of its sale taking place on Tuesday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 26.

The photographs show children enjoying rides in motor cars on various estates including High Legh Park, Tatton Park, Capesthorne Hall and Astle Hall in Chelford during the early part of the 20th century, while the wooden frame of the needlework is similar to the woodwork found in the Tabley House chapel.

The pearl earrings belonged to a Knutsford man – with Marshall’s jewellery expert Samantha Knuckey initially believing them to fetch around the £1,500 mark.

But after sending them away to a laboratory for tests, the results came back that they were real and not manufactured – meaning they are likely to fetch between £8,500 and £9,000 when they go under the hammer.

“As far as natural pearls go, they are exceptional,” Samantha said.

“They are often a lot more misshapen and have more blemishes. They are the biggest natural pearls that we have sold and they are rare and important pieces.

“You can only tell if you get them x-rayed and we have the certificate from the lab in Birmingham. I’ve been a jeweller for 20 years and I’ve only come across two other occasions when I’ve seen natural pearls but not as big as these.

“The tale of this story is to get pearls checked out. If they weren’t real the value in these pieces would have come from the diamonds.”

The earrings, needlework and the pictures will go up for auction at the sale taking place on March 25 and 26.